- Interior Ministry to issue final notification regarding extension in Rangers’ special policing powers
- Sindh Assembly adjourned amid protest, disorder caused by opposition members
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has signed a summary forwarded by the Sindh Home Ministry on Friday regarding the extension in Rangers’ policing powers in the province. The summary will be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Interior for final notification regarding extension in Rangers’ powers.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed federal ministers to refrain from further commenting on the issue.
According to sources, the federal government has also started a tripartite consultation in order to adopt a new strategy on the issue. PM Nawaz has also decided to include the army in the consultation.
Sources say that a long discussion was held on the issue in Sindh CM House.
A decision was made during the consultation that the Sindh government will not cooperate with the Rangers if the Federal Interior Ministry does not issue a notification, according to the conditions put forth by the provincial government.
Legal expert Farogh Naseem said that the Federation could provide powers to the Rangers through Articles 148 and 149. However, a deadlock set in after Sindh Assembly passed the resolution.
PROTEST MARS SINDH ASSEMBLY SESSION:
Meanwhile, the Sindh Assembly’s session on Friday was adjourned till Tuesday, December 22, due to protest of the opposition parties, which accused the speaker of running the House in grave violation of laws and rules.
According to details, the Sindh assembly met 46 minutes late than its scheduled time of 10am, without the quorum. Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani entered the assembly hall at 10:35am when only one other member Farhat Seemi of PPPP was present.
The session started at 10:46am and the session started with only 16 members present. However, the speaker ignored the quorum.
Of the nine starred questions on the agenda only six were raised and answered, as the movers of the others were not present.
PML-F member Nusrat Bano Seher Abbasi said on a point of order that the House was not being run as per the rules. However, the speaker rebuked her, asking where she was when he came to the assembly and no one was present. “I know rules better; you need not to teach me the assembly rules and laws,” he said.
There were five call attention notices on the agenda but only one of them was mentioned, by MQM lawmaker Muhammad Rashid Khilji and was answered by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sikandar Mandhro. The four other CANs were not taken as their movers were not present.
The leader of the House did not attend the House while the leader of the opposition was present for just 9 minutes.
Govt Bill No 41/2014, the Sindh Minimum Wages Bill, 2015 was introduced by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Sikandar Mandhro. Sindh Ordinance No V of 2015, the Sindh Sales Tax on Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2015 was also presented by Sikandar Mandhro.
However, at 11:19AM the members of opposition stood and protested, waving copies of the rules of procedure. They demanded to run the House as per rules. They also gathered before the platform in front of the speaker’s chair and chanted slogans. As a result, the speaker adjourned the House till Tuesday, December 22.